Intensification and Comparison of Adjectives/Adverbs

This is saying that you are better than someone at something. For example, faster, quicker, etc.

Intensification

  • Simply add ‘nnyo’ (very) which is the English equivalent of (-er)

    • Adduka nnyo. He runs faster (lit.: He runs a lot)

Comparisions → You can also use intensification in comparisons between two things.

  1. Verb + Okusinga (exceeding)

    OKUSINGA means to exceed in something. If John is faster than Mary, then John exceeds Mary in speed. Notice how you add the subject pronouns in front of ‘singa’

    • Martin adduka okusinga Michael → Martin runs faster than Michael. (lit.: Martin runs exceeding Michael

    • Verb (adj): Caayi ono ayokya okusinga caayi oyo. → This tea is hotter than that one. (lit.: This tea is hot exceeding that tea.)

  2. Adjective + Okusinga

    Similar to verbs, dont forget to modify the adjective based on the noun, and add subject pronouns in front of singa if needed.

    • Tatiana mugezi okunsinga. → Tatiana is smarter than me.

    • Ekitabo ekyo kyamugaso okusinga kino. → This book is more important than that one.

  3. Okusinga + Verb

    In this case, okusinga is conjugated and the verb that follows remains infinitive.

    • Patience ansinga okudduka. → Patience runs faster than me (lit.: Patience exceeds me in running)

    • Verb(adj): Matooke gasinga kuwooma kawunga. → Matooke is more delicious than posho. (lit.: Matooke exceeds posho in being delicious.)

  4. Okusinga + Noun

    In this case, it is similar to #3, where okusinga is conjugated and the following noun is in infinitive form. Most of the nouns used are plural and class 8.

    • Oluganda lusinga oluzungu obuzibu.→ Luganda is more difficult than English. (lit.: Luganda exceeds English in difficulty.)

    • Tatiana ansinga amagezi. → Tatiana is more intelligent than me. (lit.: Tatiana exceeds me in intelligence)

  5. Adjective + KU

    Ku acts as the English equivalent to ‘than’ and is used mostly to refer to age (older/younger) . Its usually a noun or ‘KUBA’ (to be), then an adjective formed from the noun, ‘KU’ and then either a possessive or personal pronoun.

    • Ndi mukulu ku ggwe. → I’m older than you

    • Abakazi bano bakulu kubbo. → These women are older than them

    In some cases, you can use this to describe older or younger siblings, where ‘muto’ and ‘mukulu’ are adjectives, but also mean younger and older sibling respectively.

    • Ono muto waffe → This one is our youngest/younger sibling.

Favorites → OKUSINGA can be used to talk about favorites.

  • Emmere ki esinga kuwoomera? → What’s your favorite food? (lit.: What food exceeds in being sweet to you?)

  • Emmere eno esinga kumpoomera. → This food is my favorite food. (lit.: This food exceeds in being sweet to me.)

  • Omuzannyo ki gusinga kunyumirira? > -What’s your favorite game? (lit.: What game exceeds in being enjoyable to you?)

  • Musinga kwagala kusoma ki? → What is your favorite subject? (lit.: What do you (guys) exceed in loving to read?

Prefer → OKUSINGA can be used when you prefer something, similar to comparisons.

  • Njagala okusoma ebitabo okusinga kulaba ttiivi. → I prefer reading books to watching TV. (lit.: I like reading books exceeding watching TV)

  • Ayagala amenvu okusinga emiyembe. → He prefers bananas over mangos. (lit.: He likes bananas exceeding mangos)

Superlative → For the superlative the past tense of okusinga (modified stem: sinze) might be used:

  • Asinga omutindo → Best quality (lit.: the one exceeding in quality)

  • Y’asinga okudduka. → She is the best runner. (lit.: she is the one exceeding in running)